Is The Sun a leader or a follower?
February 14, 2013 at 2:00 pm | Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a commentTags: David Cameron, elections, press, Rupert Murdoch, social media, The Sun, Tony Blair
Michael Taylor – Senior Account Executive
Rupert Murdoch’s recent pronouncement on the future of The Sun’s Page Three has set Twitter all a flutter. His comment: “page three so last century! You maybe (sic.) right, don’t know but considering”, suggests a re-think may be in the offing.
For several decades campaigners have pointed to page three as an unsavoury symbol of an outmoded sexist culture. They may feel that Murdoch’s comment, and the subsequent media scrutiny, has brought the conclusion of their cause ever closer. Using social media as a springboard for action has enabled activists to talk to the head of News Corp directly – an unprecedented development on previous generations’ communication channels and their prospects.
Yet Murdoch’s comment also poses the question, is The Sun a leader or a follower? The paper is revered in the UK for its power as “king maker” – its backing at elections is thought to make the difference between success and failure for a political party. Both Tony Blair and David Cameron are said to owe their respective victories to Murdoch’s patronage. Is it really “The Sun wot won it” or is Murdoch just a canny turncoat, poised to change tack to take best advantage as the new wind blows. Is The Sun really the leader that the country follows, or does Murdoch choose when to follow the next leader?
Whether Page Three stays within The Sun’s fold or is axed completely remains to be seen. Murdoch’s tweet may provide a kernel of insight, his proposed “halfway house of glamorous fashionistas.” That could mean almost anything, and maybe that ambiguity is exactly the point – he’s tied to nothing and he’s made no promises. Nevertheless, past experience would suggest that The Sun will become aligned with the majority opinion as a matter of timely expediency, whatever its role in forming that new consensus.
On Message
May 25, 2010 at 10:28 am | Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a commentTags: appearance, central governement, coalition, conservatives, election, elections, Liberal Democrats, media management
Who would have believed that less than two weeks ago the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats were tearing chunks out of each other’s policies, ridiculing each other’s leader and generally behaving like sworn enemies? The coalition is, so far, holding up remarkably well, with no media slip ups of any note. This is not by accident – advisors will be working around the clock behind the scenes to ensure that everyone is ‘on message’, using the right kind of language and trying to make sure the media aren’t given any sort of gap to exploit the differences between the coalition partners. Let’s see how long the honeymoon and the successful media management lasts…..
Who Said Appearance Doesn’t Matter?
April 21, 2010 at 8:22 am | Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a commentTags: appearance, debate, elections, politicians
If there’s one thing the first election debate has shown us, it’s the power of appearance. Nick Clegg’s overwhelming victory was due to a combination of carefully prepared (and rehearsed) messages, and a style and appearance that invited the viewers to listen to him. Crucially his style also made him believable, a trick that neither Cameron or Brown quite managed to pull off. We often hear that there is too much PR in politics, but politicians need to get the electorate to engage with them and believe what they are saying before they can deliver their messages – exactly the same as any business leader trying to sell their product or service.
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